Flying Gear Question...

[Worf]

Now I understand why you'd need the flying coat, goggles, helmet and gloves... what I don't get is why they wore Jodpurs (?) and riding boots? Dash? Hold over from the cavalry? All they Army had available to give em? Do the pants perform a function, even when riding a horse? If I were going to make a vintage WWI flying outfit I figure I could find EVERYTHING execpt the puffy pants.

Just curious....

Worf

 

[Fanch]

Now I understand why you'd need the flying coat, goggles, helmet and gloves... what I don't get is why they wore Jodpurs (?) and riding boots? Dash? Hold over from the cavalry? All they Army had available to give em? Do the pants perform a function, even when riding a horse? If I were going to make a vintage WWI flying outfit I figure I could find EVERYTHING execpt the puffy pants.

Just curious....

Worf

Probably for freedom of movement, same as for horseback riding.

 

[Foster]

Fashion doesn't always have any correlation to function. It's not like you need room to straddle a horse in the cockpit, my opinion is it was just what was fashionable at the time.

 

[cuthbert]

All the German WWI pilots came from Cavarly units, for instance Von Richtofen was an Uhlan:

as well as the italians: Baracca a lancer.

 

[Stearmen]

Hay Worf! For the WWI pilots, the style came out of the fact that a lot of the pilots came from the Cavalry, so just natural. So after the war, younger pilots picked up on it to wear what their heros wore. Incidentally, between the wars, flying was all the rage, and young pilots would wear their flying gear, breaches, helmets and goggles on the bus. Probably didn't hurt their chances with the ladies!

 

[Worf]

Thanks for the information M8's. I kinda figured it was a "fashion" thing not a "function" thing. I does look dashing... just wanted to be sure. And if all goes well, next Halloween I'll be unveiling my own Open Cockpit costume... repleat with Jhodpurs and riding boots.

Worf